1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a honeycomb structure mounting base, and a honeycomb structure inspection apparatus.
2. Discussion of the Background
Harm to the environment and the human body caused by particles such as soot contained in exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engines of buses, trucks and other vehicles, construction equipment and the like has recently become a problem. For that reason, there have been currently proposed numerous kinds of honeycomb filters using a honeycomb structure of porous ceramic as a filter for capturing particles contained in exhaust gas, thereby purifying the exhaust gas.
Conventionally, when manufacturing a honeycomb structure, for example, first, a ceramic powder, a binder, a liquid dispersal medium, and the like are blended to prepare a wet mixture. Using a die, the wet mixture is continuously extrusion molded, and the extruded molded body is then cut to a prescribed length to manufacture a pillar-shaped honeycomb molded body.
Next, the honeycomb molded body obtained above is dried. Afterward, a plug material paste is charged into either end of prescribed cells and sealed in order to achieve a sealed state of the cells. After the sealed state has been achieved, degreasing and firing treatment is carried out, thus the honeycomb fired body is manufactured.
Afterward, a sealing material paste is applied onto the side faces of the honeycomb fired body, and the honeycomb fired bodies are bonded together. This state of a multitude of the honeycomb fired bodies being combined with one another by interposing a sealing material layer (an adhesive layer) effectuates an aggregate of honeycomb fired bodies. Excision is then carried out on the achieved aggregate of honeycomb fired bodies using a cutting machine or the like to achieve a ceramic block of a prescribed form, such as a round pillar or cylindroid form. Finally, a sealing material paste is applied on the periphery of the ceramic block to form a sealing material layer (a coat layer), thereby concluding the manufacture of the honeycomb structure.
The honeycomb structure of the sort described herein above (ceramic filters or catalyst supporting carrier) is normally stored within a casing for use. Because of this, before storing the honeycomb structure within the casing, it is necessary to inspect whether or not the manufactured honeycomb structure has the prescribed shape fitting to the above-mentioned casing. In this inspection, the honeycomb structure is placed on a mounting base provided on an inspection apparatus.
It is also necessary to inspect whether or not the above-described honeycomb structure contains internal defects in order to make use of specific functions of the honeycomb structure. In this inspection as well, the honeycomb structure is placed on a mounting base provided on an inspection apparatus.
Here, an apparatus using a collimated beam, for example, is proposed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 55-37919 A) as an apparatus for inspecting the external shape of a manufactured honeycomb structure. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 55-37919 A discloses a turn table, which is a table on which a honeycomb structure is to be placed when inspecting an external shape thereof. Also, an apparatus using transmitted acoustic signal information, for example, is proposed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-151078 A) as an apparatus for inspecting defects of a manufactured honeycomb structure. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-151078 A discloses a rotating table, which is a table on which a honeycomb structure is to be placed when inspecting defects thereof. The contents of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Nos. 55-37919 A and 2004-151078 A are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.